Why a quarter of Canadian franchises are immigrant-owned

Canada's diverse population is critical to the country's economy, and it is interesting to note that educated immigrants make up a quarter of Canadian franchise owners. There are many reasons for this, all of which combine to create a thriving ecosystem we can all learn from.

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Cultural factors

Of the 40.1 million people who call Canada home, 8.36 million are not native-born, and many of these immigrants come from cultures in which entrepreneurship and self-employment are highly valued. This means that those people have grown up being exposed to business ownership and encouraged to develop a strong work ethic. They are typically great innovators who are able to think outside the box, contributing to business success.

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Experienced entrepreneurs

With traditional Canadian jobs often putting barriers to entry in place for non-nationals, many immigrants turn to franchising as a more accessible way of making a living. Coming from cultures that value education and entrepreneurship, stepping immediately into leadership roles often comes easy for immigrants.

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Supportive immigration programs

Some Canadian immigration programs select immigrants based on their skills and capital and actively reward them for pursuing business ownership. These factors drive many immigrants to invest in a franchise rather than launching a new business from scratch.

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Able to serve immigrant communities

Immigrants have a superior understanding of the backgrounds, needs and preferences of their fellow immigrants, so by joining a franchise, they are uniquely able to tailor their offering to satisfy those needs.

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Access to foreign markets

Immigrants tend to have a superior understanding of global markets. This makes them less dependent on US exports and better positioned to drive international trade performance. By joining a franchise, they are ideally positioned to target markets in their home country, driving rapid growth and improving brand recognition on a global scale.

Immigrant-owned franchises are a significant contributor to Canada's economy. They have high job creation rates and operate innovatively on a global scale. As we enter a period of great uncertainty, it is useful to learn lessons from our immigrant community and look for new ways of expanding and growing our businesses.

Now is the time to consider our product and service offerings, our access to global markets, and the needs of our immediate communities, shifting our operations to better satisfy our customers, taking calculated risks, and driving toward a brighter tomorrow.